Railway-car-truck spring



vC. HANKINS RAILWAY CAR TRUCK SPRING June 17, 1930.

S sheetsfsneet 1 Filed June l5, 1925 ln/manici June 17, 1930. HANKINS 1,764,164

RAILWAY CAR TRUCK- SPRING Filed June 13, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 f z3 N June 17, 1930. C, HANKINS 1,764,164

RAILWAY CAR TRUCK SPRING Filed June 13, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MYI Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES PATlEIlIf'llr cYRUs HANxINs, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND,- Assreivon, BY Masiva AssieNMENrS, 'ro T. n. SYMINGTON AND sommo., or BALTIMORE., MARYLAND, A CORPORATION F MARYLAND RAILXVAYJCAR-TROK SPRING Application ledA June 13, 1925. Serial No. 36,977.

The invention relates to spring devices for use in connection with railway trucks'.

The principal object of theinvention, generally stated, is to provide a spring device adapted for mounting within the window opening of a truck side frame and including relatively movable members enclosing and confining cushioning means located between them and maintained under initial compression.

The object of the invention, more specifically stated, isto provide a spring device of this character including groups'of oppositely arranged superposedconcentric leafor plate spring members confined against movement in any direction other than in the line of the load. p

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character including relatively movable top and bottom members between which the cushioning means is located, these members carrying rigidly attached stop elements coacting to maintain the spring members under a certain initial compression and preventing separation of the top and bottom members.

Another object of thel invention is the provision of a spring device including pan inembers between which the cushioning means is 30 located, the pan members containing wear take-up elements engaged, themselves, by the cushioning means to prevent contact; of the latter with the Walls of the pan Imembers, thereby vpreventing the pan members from becoming worn on account of friction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide' wear take-up memberspar'tially enclosed within the pan members and extending across the spacef between" them' toV confine l the cusl'iioningmeans and to" prevent dis- Y placement of any of the component parts thereof'in all" planes at an angle to the line of load so that shifting and displacement of the' cushioning; meanswith the: trouble resulting from such a contingency will be ab'- solutelj'T avoided.

A still further object is to providev a structure of this characterin which thecombined wear take-up and spring confining means are so arranged and constructed as to have an inter-fitting but spaced relationl so as Vnot to interfere when the top and bottom or mainl members of the structuremovetoward each other under compressivestrain, the wear take-up and spacing membersl beingfurthermore held in place by engagement ofthe springs therewith, the spacing members in the two pan members or topandbottom supports being substantially similar and interchangeable.

Still another object` of the invention is to provide a structure of this character which will be comparatively simple andA inexpensive tok manufacture, assemble and' install'and which: will moreover be positive in action as well as efficient and durable in service,

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects and advantages, the invention may consist in the details of construction and thearrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a truclr` frame showing the spring device in applied position. n

Figure 2 is a central vertical crossl section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 4',

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectiontaken on the line-3 3 of Figure 2,' f

Figure L tis a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of4 Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of two of the coacting wear take-up members used in the ends,

Figure? 6*- isv a detail perspective view of one of the wear` takesup members used at the; centers of the pan members,

Figure 7 is a fragmentaryiside elevation showing thestop member-sl more" clearly.

Referring more particularly to the drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicates a if truck side frame of any ordinary or prefer-red type having theusual windowfopening 2 Withinwhich is mounted the* spring device, designated by 3, which formsthersubject maitter'l o'f=` the present application and which is engaged between the spring seat 4f and the bolster 5.

The spring device 3 preferably consists of similar upper and lower supporting elements formed as pans 6 having continuous side flanges 7. These pans are arranged in vertically spaced relation with their open sides toward each other and they are adapted to partially enclose the cushioning means indicated at 8. The cushioning means preferably consists of a plurality of sets of elongated concentric leaf or plate springs, the springs being arranged in groups and several groups being employed to constitute each set. lVhile a certain arrangement of springs is shown it should of course be understood that this is merely illustrative inasmuch as the same arrangement as disclosed in my copending application filed June 13, 1925, Serial No. 36,978, may be employed if desired. Y

In order to prevent the plate springs from contacting with and wearing away the pans, use is made of members 9, 10 and 11 which are located within the pans and held in place by the springs themselves. Each of the members 9 preferably consists of a single piece of sheet metal which may be stamped into the desired configuration and which includes a plate portion 12 adapted to 'fit within the bottom pan at the end thereof and in conforming relation thereto. This member 9 further includes spaced upstanding finger portions 13 of substantially triangular shape spaced apart by the openings 14 which are of a similar shape. It is intended that a member 9 be located within each end of the lower pan 6 with the finger portions 13 extending upwardly across the space between the pans and projecting into the upper pan.

The members 10 are intended to be mounted within the end portions of the upper pan for cooperation with the members 9, and cach preferably consists of a plate portion 15 disposable against the bottom surface of the top of the upper pan andhaving projecting therefrom downwardlyV extending linger portions 16 of substantially triangular shape with the side edges thereof parallel with but spaced from the side edges of ther fingers 13 on the members 9, these finger members 16 likewise extending across the space Vbetween the pans and projecting into the lower pan. Y Y f The members 11 are mounted within the pans between the adjacent edges of the plate portions 12 and 15 of the members 9 and 10 respectively, as clearly indicated in the drawings and each is preferably formed from a single piece or blank of sheet metal stamped, pressed or otherwise formed into a substantially U-shape. 11n other words each member 11 may be said to include a plate portion 1,7 from which extend spaced parallel linger members 18 of substantia-ll triangular shape. The members 11 within the top and bottom pans are identical in construction so as to be: interchangeable and the inclined edges 19 are parallel and spaced apart when these members are in assembled position. It will be observed that owing to the spacing of the inclined edges of the finger members 13 and 16 and the members 18 there will be no engagement or interference when the pan members are moved vtogether under the com ressive strain exerted by loads imposed on the spring device. The finger members 19 extend across the space between the pans and project into the opposite pans in exactly the same manner as the nger members 13 and 16. as these various finger members traverse the space between the pans at all times it is obvious that they will not only act to-take up the wear caused by rubbing of the springs thereagainst during compression and release but will also act as efficient retaining means operating to prevent displacement of the plate springs, individually or collectively, in any direction, the movement thereof being confined strictly to the line of load.

The members 9 and 10 will of course be incapable themselves of any displacement for the reason that they are held in placeby the springs engaging against their inner sides and by the engagement of their outer sides with the inner walls of the pan members. As the members 11 have their edges engaging, substantially, against the adjacent or confronting edges of the plate portions 12 and 15 of the members 9 and 10 it is clear that they are incapable of displacement longitudinally and likewise incapable of displacement transversely by the engagement of the linger portions 18 with the springs and the flanges of the pans. Owing to the fact that all the linger portions in both pans project into the otherpan they will act as guides for preventing any relative vlateral o1' rocking movement of theV pans with respect to each other.

' For holding the pans and in fact the entire structure in assembled position and for maintaining the springs under a certain amount of initial compression, I preferably provide coactinU bracket members 20 located on the outer si es of the flanges of the pan Vmembers and welded or otherwise suitably secured thereto. These bracket members might of course Vvary in details of design but they are shown as having or including lateral portions 21 formed with shoulders 22 which engage and limit relative separation of the pan members while permitting movement thereof toward each other on compression of the device.

` YThe complete' assembly is Vreadily capable of'insertion Vwithin* the window-opening 2 and it is evident that-it makes' no Vdierence all the parts being maintained in position regardless of whether the device be located in its operative position or not. Ample provision has been made for permitting the necessary movement of the parts under load 1;- while at the same time positively preventing any undesired movement or displacement of any of the parts. In actual service the device will be efficient and durable.

While I have shown and described a prelerred embodiment ot the invention, it should be understood that the details are merely illustrative of certain possibilities as the right is reserved to make all such changes, modifications and variations as will 'al not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the c claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

l. A railway truck spring device comprising upper and lower relatively movable supporting members, cushioning means interposed between said members, and abuttingly engageable means rigidly secured exteriorly upon said supporting members for limiting separating movement thereof.

2. A railway truck spring device comprising upper and lower supporting members having cushioning means interposed between them, and counterpart coacting bracket members carried by said supporting members and having laterally extending directly cngageable shoulders operating to limit movement of the supporting members away from each other.

3. A railway truck spring device comprising upper and lower supporting members, having marginal flanges, cushioning means interposed between said members, and angular stop members carried by the flanges on said supporting members and having coacting shoulders operating to limit movement ot the supporting members away from each other.

4l. A railway truck spring device comprising upper and lower pan members arranged with their open sides toward each other, cushioning means interposed between said pan members, and reversely arranged counterpart bracket members secured to the outer faces of the side flanges ofthe panv members and projecting across the space betweenthe pan members, saidbracket members having shoulders directly engageable for limiting movement of the pan members away from I each other. l I

5. A railway truck spring device comprising upper and lower similar'pan members arranged with their open vsides towai'd each other and in spaced relation, cushioning means located between the pan members, and combined wear preventing and retaining members located within the pan members outwardly ofthe cushioning means, certain of said members fitting within thev end portions of the pans and others thereof'litting within the central portions of the-pans between and in engagement with the edges oi' the first named wear preventing andretaining members.

6. A railway truck spring device comprising spaced: pan members arranged with 'their open sides toward each other, cushioning means located between the pan members, and a plurality of wear preventing and guide members located within the pans outwardly of the cushioning'- means, certain of said members being located within the ends of the pans andextending entirely tliereacross and the remaining members being located within the central portions of the pans and extending entirely thereacross with certain of their edges engaging certain of the edges of the first named members. 7. A railway truck spring'device comprising spaced pan members arrangedwith their open sides toward each other, cushioning means located between the panf'i'i'iembers, and a plurality, of wear 'preventing and guide members located within the pans outwardly of the cushioning means, certain of, said members being located rwithin the ends of the pans and extending, entirely thereacross and the remaining'membe'rs being located within the central portions of the pans and extending entirely thereacross with' certain of their edges engaging` certain of the edges ot-the irst named members, all of saidV members having finger portions extending acrosslthe space between the pansV into the other pan.

8. A railway truck spring device' comprising spaced pan members arranged with their open sides toward each other, cushioning means located between the pan members, and

a plurality of wear' preventing and guidemembers located 'within the pans outwardly of the cushioning means, certain of said members being located within the ends of the pans and extending entirely thereacross and the remaining members being located .within the central portions of thev pans and extending entirely thereacross with certain of their edges engaging certain of the edges of the first named members, all of said members having finger portions extending across the space between the pans into the other pan, all the finger portions having inclined edges.

9. A railway truck spring device comprising spaced pan members arranged with their open sides toward each other, cushioning means located between the pan members, and a plurality of wear preventing and guide members located within the pans outwardly of the cushioning means, certain of said members being located within the ends of the pans and extending entirely thereacross and the remaining members being located within the central portions of the pans and extending entirely thereacross with certain of their edges engaging certain of theedges of the first named members, all of said members having finger portions extending across the space between the pans into the other pan, all of said finger portions being of substantially triangular shape.

10. In a spring structure, spaced pan members, cushioning means located therebetween, and wear preventing and guide members located within the pan members and between the same and the cushioning means, said members each having portions bridging the space between the pan members.

V11. In a spring structure, spacedV pan members, cushioning means located therebetween, and wear preventing and guide members located within the pan members and between the same and the cushioning means, said members each having portions extending into the other pan members.

, l2. In a spring structure, normally spaced casing sections, cushioning means therebetween, and guide means traversing the space between the sections'and clamped within the sections by said cushioning means.

13. In a spring structure, normally spaced casing sections, cushioning means therebetween, and guide means traversing the space between the sections and clamped within the sections by said cushioning means, said guide means being formed of sections arranged adjacent one another. y L 14. 'A railway truck spring device conlpri'sing upperY and lower pan members having marginal langes, cushioning means within the pan members, and means engagingl the marginal flanges and bridging the space between the pan members for confining the cushioning means against lateral displacement in any direction.

In testimony whereof I affixV my signature.

C'YRUS HANKI'NS. 

